Scion

Character Creation

Character Creation

Character creation is done in three stages, and during each stage players are expected to confer with each other and with the GM in order to make sure everyone’s character meshes well with each other. Typically, the table should go through character creation together, waiting for people to finish each stage before moving on to the next. That way if someone is having a hard time the rest of the table can bounce ideas off of them.

The first stage consists primarily of describing your character, creating aspects for your character and fleshing out their pantheon. The second stage describes your character’s mortal persona, and is primarily mechanical (describing your character’s stats and gear). The third stage describes your character’s heroic heritage, choosing heroic feats and the birthrights gifted to you by your parents, which is a mix of mechanics and description.
The first thing to do is to come up with a name for your character and a general idea of what kind of character you want to play, like a rough concept for your character.

Step 1: Calling

It’s in the nature of the Scions of the Gods to be drawn into lifestyles and careers that hint at the purviews of their divine parents. The power of the ichor that flows through their veins urges them into those lifestyles, and their natural talents tend to keep them there.

When designing a Scion, the first step is to come up with your character’s Calling, a brief statement of the character’s concept. Remember, a character’s Calling is typically influenced by his divine parent’s own predilections. A Scion of Athena might be a “Shrewd Corporate Lawyer,” a “Brilliant Small-Unit Tactician,” a “Slick Defense Contractor” or even a “World-Renowned Chess Champion.” He’s less likely to be a “Crass Rodeo Clown.” He lacks the natural inclination to pursue such a Calling, and it’s a waste of the talents at which he naturally excels.

Examples: College Football Star, Skeptical FBI Agent, Small Town Cop, Gothic Blood Sorceress.

Step 2: Pantheon and Parent

Next, choose the character’s divine parent and note the Pantheon to which she belongs. These choices are often intrinsically tied to a character’s Calling.

As noted in the previous section, each god has a group of six Abilities. These Abilities are the natural talents of your character’s divine parent. Choose three of these abilities as your Favored Abilities. Additionally, choose another three Favored Abilities that represent your character’s training and natural inclinations. These can be abilities related to your parent, but are not limited to them.

Step 3: Nature and Ties

Next, you need to decide on your character’s Natures, which is a personality archetype that helps define your Scion. A Scion’s Nature provides a starting point for the player to portray that character’s interaction with others in the game. Example natures are discussed in the traits section, but these are by no means exhaustive. When choosing an unlisted nature, keep in mind that it should be short and simple, with room for interpretation. Also keep in mind that your character’s nature can be a source of strength, letting them draw on hidden reserves of will when acting according to their nature; however, sometimes it is a weakness that limits the actions they take, or causes them to act with subconsciously or emotionally rather than acting rationally.

After you’ve come up with a nature, it’s time to decide on your character’s ties to the mortal world. Heroes are still (at least partly) human, and have human lives. Many have families, careers, and obligations. They just… also kinda fight monsters every once in a while. Come up with an aspect that describes your ties to the mortal world, be it a career, a family, or whatever.

The next step is to choose a Style Aspect for your character. Style aspects are a “catch all” for any aspect that describes your character and makes them unique. This could be a personality trait, a natural talent, a fatal flaw, an attachment to an awesome piece of gear, social status, or pretty much anything you want.

Step 5: Assign Attributes

Assign a priority (one, two or three) to each of the three categories of Attributes. The first priority gets a +7, the second priority gets a +5, and the third priority gets a +3. The attributes in that category must add up to the total bonus for that category. No attribute can be higher than a +3, and no attribute can be lower than a 0.

Example: Chuck decides that his Scion of Aphrodite is a mostly social guy, but isn’t too much of a slouch in the physical department. He assigns the +7 to social, a +5 to physical, and a +3 to mental.

Step 6: Heroic Feats

Choose three heroic feats for your character. Feats are discussed in further detail in the traits chapter, but for reference you should fill out one of the following two sentences:

Because I [describe some way that you are exceptional, have a cool bit of gear, or are otherwise awesome], I get a +2 when I use my [pick an attribute] to [pick one: attack, defend, create advantages, overcome] when [describe a circumstance].

Because I [describe some way that you are exceptional, have a cool bit of gear, or are otherwise awesome], once per game session I can [describe something cool you can do].

Remember, Heroic Feats can be implausible, something you would only ever see in an action movie, but they must at least be conceivably possible in the real world.

Step 7: Virtues

Virtues are beliefs of great import to the cultures from which the various pantheons emerged. Each pantheon has a set of four Virtues that define proper behavior. The sets are discussed in the Pantheon section, but are reprinted here for convenience:

For this step, choose one Virtue you feel that your character embodies and either write down the generic virtue flaw or come up with your own.

Step 8: Birthrights

The final creative step is to come up with Birthrights. Characters start with five birthrights. Due to their divine nature, at least one of these starting Birthrights must be an epic attribute (and as such you will gain a knack right off the bat). The remaining four birthrights can be chosen from epic attributes, boons, relics, or retainers. These abilities are discussed in more detail in the next chapter, but here is the shortened version:

Epic Attributes give your character a +2 to any test using that attribute. Additionally, epic attributes allow access to knacks for that attribute. Knacks are special aspects that can be invoked normally, or can be fueled with a point of legend to automatically succeed at an action with style. Examples of Knacks are discussed in the following chapter.

Relics are special aspects, typically representing powerful items crafter from the blood and bodies of powerful titanspawn, that can be invoked normally or fueled with a point of legend to make an Epic Declaration.

Retainers are skilled mortals and friendly titanspawn that are fatebound to the character and can be summoned once per session. Unlike NPCs that are fatebound through play, the character does not need to pay Legend to maintain a retainer, the retainer was bound to the character through fate, and fate already has something in store for the both of you.

Boons are magical powers tied to a character’s legend. They are constructed much like Heroic Feats, but must be designed around the “Purviews” of their divine parent (they are like powers that are passed down through Ichor – the divine DNA). Purviews are listed in the Birthrights section, with the epic attributes, and describe a loose category of things your divine parent has influence over. Also, each Pantheon has a specific Purview that only they can access.

Boons are also not limited by what is or is not possible in the real world. Also, typically they start out pretty weak, and grow more powerful the more boons you have in a specific Purview.

Step 9: Finishing Touches

First, record your refresh (you start with 3).

Second, give your character some gear. If you want you can give them a weapon or two, maybe some armor. You are usually assumed to have easy access to most of the standard tools (within reason) you would need that are related to your favored attributes, and most other simple tools can be obtained as well. If you would like any special gear that would not typically seem like something you can easily buy at a hardware store or hunting shop, talk to the GM and see if he ok with your extra gear choices (this includes weapons and armor). This equipment your character carries is assumed to be simple and provide no real bonus or penalty. Any exceptional gear you wish to have should be addressed by your style aspects and your heroic feats.

After that, record any additional Stress for your character. Your character should fill in a stress dot if your Stamina, Charisma, and/or Wits are at a +3 or higher (naturally, don’t count epic attributes). Dots can be added later when your character transcends their heroic form of course (when you have a +6 in these attributes).

Finally, if you have Epic Stamina, Charisma, or Wits, mark off an extra Mild (-2) consequence slot on your character sheet.